Page images
PDF
EPUB

variance with most of the priests before, yet against the truth they all joined together. But the mighty power of the Lord was over all; and so wonderful was the appearance thereof, that priest Bennett said "the church shook," insomuch that he was afraid and trembled. And when he had spoken a few confused words, he hastened out, for fear it should fall on his head. Many priests got together there; but they had no power as yet to persecute.

When I had cleared my conscience towards them, I went up to SWARTHMORE again, whither came four or five of the priests. Coming to discourse, I asked them, "whether any one of them could say he ever had the word of the Lord to go and speak to such or such a people ?" None of them durst say he had; but one of them burst out into a passion, and said, "he could speak his experiences as well as I." I told him experience was one thing; but to receive and go with a message, and to have a word from the Lord, as the prophets and apostles had and did, and as I had done to them, this was another thing. And therefore I put it to them again, "could any of them say he had ever had a command or word from the Lord immediately at any time ?" but none of them could say so. Then I told them, the false prophets, the false apostles, and antichrists, could use the words of the true prophets, the true apostles, and of Christ, and would speak of other men's experiences, though they themselves never knew or heard the voice of God or Christ; and such as they might obtain the good words and experiences of others; this puzzled them much, and laid them open. At another time, when I was discoursing with several priests at Judge Fell's house, and he was by, I asked them the same question, "whether any of them ever heard the voice of God or Christ, to bid him go to such and such a people, to declare his word or message unto them?" for any one, I told them, that could but read, might declare the experiences of the prophets and apostles, which were recorded in the Scriptures. Hereupon Thomas Taylor,* an ancient priest, did ingenuously confess before Judge Fell, "that he had never heard the voice of God, nor of Christ, to send him to any people, but he spoke his experiences, and the experiences of the saints in former ages, and that he preached." This very much con firmed Judge Fell in the persuasion he had, "that the priests were wrong;" for he had thought formerly, as the generality of people then did, "that they were sent from God.”

Thomas Taylor was convinced at this time, and travelled with me into Westmorland. Coming to CROSSLAND steeple-house, we found the people gathered together; and the Lord opened Thomas Taylor's mouth (though he was convinced but the day before), so that he declared amongst them, "how he had been before he was convinced;" and like the good scribe that was converted to the kingdom, he brought forth things new and old

* Thomas Taylor, born in 1616, was educated at Oxford university, and became a preacher among the Puritans, at or near Skipton, and also at Richmond. He discontinued preaching for hire, and joined Friends, becoming a valiant minister of Christ. He also wrote much in support of the truth. He suffered many imprisonments, but the Lord was with him, and upheld him by his mighty power, in the hardships and opposition he met with for truth's sake. He died in peace at Stafford, in 1681.

to the people, and showed them how "the priests were out of the way;" which tormented the priest. Some little discourse I had with them, but they fled away; and a precious meeting there was, wherein the Lord's power was over all; and the people were directed to the Spirit of God, by which they might come to know God and Christ, and to understand the Scriptures aright. After this I passed on, visiting Friends, and had very large meetings in Westmorland.

Now began the priests to rage more and more, and as much as they could, to stir up persecution. James Naylor and Francis Howgill were 'cast into prison in Appleby jail, at the instigation of the malicious priests; some of whom prophesied "that within a month we should be all scattered again, and come to nothing." But, blessed for ever be the worthy name of the Lord, the work of the Lord went on and prospered. For about this time John Audland, Francis Howgill, John Camm,* Edward Burrough, Richard Hubberthorn,† Miles Hubbersty, and Miles Halhead, with several others, being endued with power from on high, came forth in the work of

* John Camm, after joining Friends, became an eminent minister, travelling in the service of truth. He was a man of weak constitution, but richly furnished with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, clear in judgment, and a sharp reprover of wickedness. His ministry was deep and weighty. Having an estate of his own, he suffered the spoiling of his goods joyfully. He often called his children together, and exhorted them to fear the Lord, and would wonderfully praise God for his goodness, counting his bodily weakness a happiness, saying, "How great a benefit do I enjoy beyond many, I have such a large time of preparation for death, being daily dying, that I may live forever with my God, in that kingdom that is unspeakably full of glory. My outward man daily wastes and moulders down, and draws towards its place and centre; but my inward man revives and mounts upwards, towards its place and habitation in the heavens." See Piety Promoted, i., 3-6.

+ Richard Hubberthorn, who is frequently mentioned in this Journal, and whose name often occurs in the early part of the history of Friends, became an able gospel minister, and patient sufferer for the truth. He was a native of Lancashire, the only son of a yeoman of good repute. In his youth he obtained a post in the Parliamentary army, which, on his embracing the truth, he quitted, and testified publicly against it; becoming a valiant soldier under the banner of the Prince of peace. After passing through many inward probations, he became qualified to direct others in their way to the kingdom of heaven, and was one of the first of our Society who travelled in the work of the ministry.

Richard Hubberthorn was a man of much meekness, humility, patience, and brotherly kindness, clear in judgment, and quick of understanding; and, although he was of low stature, and had an infirm constitution and weak voice, he was a powerful and successful minister, and great numbers were convinced by him, and brought over to the faith and practice which he preached. He travelled in the exercise of his gift nine years, and shared at different times in the sufferings to which the early Friends were exposed. In 1662, he was violently haled from a meeting in London, and taken before that implacable persecutor, Alderman Brown, who, after abusing him with his own hands, committed him to Newgate. Here the throng was so great, and the air so impure, that he soon fell sick. His disorder increased upon him, and, within two months from the time of his commitment, with an unclouded prospect of a restingplace "where the wicked cease from troubling," he was released by death. He wrote many treatises, which were collected and published in 1 vol. quarto, in 1663.

This is the only mention of Miles Halhead in this Journal. His name occurs frequently in Sewell's History, from which it appears he travelled largely and suffered much on Truth's account, being the first of the Quakers imprisoned at Kendal.

the ministry, and approved themselves faithful labourers therein, travelling up and down, and preaching the gospel freely; by means whereof multitudes were convinced, and many effectually turned to the Lord. Amongst these, Christopher Taylor* was one, brother to Thomas Taylor before-mentioned; and who had been a preacher to a people as well as his brother; but after they had received a knowledge of the truth, they soon came into obedience thereunto, and left their preaching for hire or rewards. And having received a part of the ministry of the gospel, they preached Christ freely; being often sent by the Lord to declare his word in steeple-houses and in markets; and great sufferers they were.

After I had visited Friends in Westmorland, I returned into Lanca shire, and went to ULVERSTONE, where W. Lampitt was priest; who, though he had preached of a people that should own the teachings of God, and had said, "that men and women should come to declare the gospel ;" yet afterwards, when it came to be fulfilled, he persecuted both it and them. To this priest's house I went, where abundance of priests and professors were got together after their lecture, with whom I had great disputings concerning Christ and the Scriptures; for they were loath to let their trade go down, which they made of preaching Christ's, and the apostles' and prophets' words. But the Lord's power went over the heads of them all, and his word of life went forth amongst them; though many of them were exceedingly envious and devilish. Yet after this many priests and professors came to me from far and near; of whom, they that were innocent and simple-minded were satisfied, and went away refreshed; but the fat and full were fed with judgment, and sent empty away: for that was the word of the Lord to be divided to them.

[ocr errors]

Now when meetings were set up, and we met in private houses, Lampitt the priest began to rage; and he said, we forsook the temple, and went to Jeroboam's calves' houses;" so that many professors began to see how he had declined from that which he had formerly held and preached. Hereupon the case of Jeroboam's calves was opened to the professors, priests, and people; and it was manifested unto them, "that their houses (which they called churches) were more like Jeroboam's calves' houses, even the old mass-houses which were set up in the darkness of Popery; and which they, who called themselves Protestants, and professed to be more enlightened than the Papists, did still hold up; although God had never commanded them: whereas that temple, which God had commanded at Jerusalem, Christ came to end the service of; and they that received and believed in him, their bodies came to be the temples of God, and of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, to dwell in them, and to walk in them. And all such were gathered into the name of Jesus, whose name is above every name, and there is no salvation by any other name under the whole heaven, but by the name of Jesus. And they that were thus gathered met together in several dwelling-houses, which were not called the temple,

Christopher Taylor, after writing and preaching much on Truth's account, removed to America about the year 1683, and died at Philadelphia in 1686. See account of him in Whiting's Memoirs, pp. 352-55.

nor the church; but their bodies were the temples of God, and the believers were the church, which Christ was the head of. So that Christ was not called the head of an old house, which was made by men's hands, neither did he come to purchase and sanctify, and redeem with his blood, an old house, which they called their church, but the people of whom he is the head." Much work I had in those days with priests and people, concerning their old mass-houses, which they called their churches; for the priests had persuaded the people that it was the house of God; whereas the apostle says, "whose house we are," &c. Heb. iii. 6. So the people are God's house, in whom he dwells. And the apostle saith, “Christ purchased his church with his own blood;" and Christ calls his church his spouse, his bride, and the Lamb's wife; so that this title, church and spouse, was not given to an old house, but to his people, the true believers.

After this, on a lecture-day, I was moved to go to the steeple-house at ULVERSTONE, where were abundance of professors, priests, and people. I went up near to priest Lampitt, who was blustering on in his preaching; and after the Lord had opened my mouth to speak, John Sawrey the justice came to me and said, "if I would speak according to the Scriptures, I should speak." I wondered at his speaking so to me, for I did speak according to the Scriptures, and I told him, "I should speak according to the Scriptures, and bring the Scriptures to prove what I had to say; for I had something to speak to Lampitt and to them." Then he said, I should not speak, contradicting himself who had said just before, "I should speak, if I would speak according to the Scriptures." The people were quiet, and heard me gladly, until this Justice Sawrey (who was the first stirrer up of cruel persecution in the North) incensed them against me, and set them on to hale, beat, and bruise me. Suddenly the people were in a rage, and fell upon me in the steeple-house before his face; knocked me down, kicked me, and trampled upon me; and so great was the uproar, that some tumbled over their seats for fear. At last he came and took me from the people, led me out of the steeple-house, and put me into the hands of the constables and other officers, bidding them whip me and put me out of the town. They led me about a quarter of a mile, some taking hold of my collar, and some by my arms and shoulders, and shook and dragged me along. Many friendly people being come to the market, and some of them to the steeple-house to hear me, divers of these they knocked down also, and broke their heads, so that the blood ran down from several of them; and Judge Fell's son running after, to see what they would do with me, they threw him into a ditch of water, some of them crying, "knock the teeth out of his head." Now when they had haled me to the common moss-side, a multitude of people following, the constables and other officers gave me some blows over my back with their willow-rods, and so thrust me among the rude multitude, who, having furnished themselves, some with stayes, some with hedge-stakes, and others with holm or holly-bushes, fell upon me, and beat me on my head, arms, and shoulders, till they had deprived me of sense; so that I fell down upon the wet common. When I recovered again, and saw myself lying in a watery common, and the people standing about me, I lay still a little while; and the power of the Lord

sprang through me, and the Eternal Refreshings refreshed me, so that I stood up again in the strengthening power of the Eternal God; and stretching out my arms amongst them, I said with a loud voice, "Strike again; here are my arms, my head, and my cheeks." There was in the company a mason, a professor, but a rude fellow; he with his walking rule-staff gave me a blow with all his might, just over the back of my hand, as it was stretched out; with which blow my hand was so bruised, and my arm so benumbed, that I could not draw it unto me again; so that some of the people cried out, "he hath spoiled his hand for ever having the use of it any more." But I looked at it in the love of God (for I was in the love of God to them all, that had persecuted me), and after a while the Lord's power sprang through me again, and through my hand and arm, so that in a moment I recovered strength in my hand and arm, in the sight of them all. Then they began to fall out among themselves, and some of them came to me, and said, if I would give them money, they would secure me from the rest. But I was moved of the Lord to declare to them the word of life, and showed them their false Christianity, and the fruits of their priest's ministry; telling them they were more like heathens and Jews, than true Christians. Then was I moved of the Lord to come up again through the midst of the people, and go into Ulverstone market. As I went, there met me a soldier, with his sword by his side; "Sir," said he to me, "I see you are a man, and I am ashamed and grieved that you should be thus abused;" and he offered to assist me in what he could. But I told him the Lord's power was over all; so I walked through the people in the market, and none of them had power to touch me then. But some of the marketpeople abusing some Friends in the market, I turned me about and saw this soldier among them with his naked rapier, whereupon I ran in amongst them, and catching hold of his hand that his rapier was in, I bid him put up his sword again, if he would go along with me; for I was willing to draw him out from the company, lest some mischief should be done. A few days after seven men fell upon this soldier, and beat him cruelly, because he had taken part with Friends and me; for it was the manner of the persecutors of that country, for twenty or forty people to run upon one man. And they fell so upon Friends in many places, that they could hardly pass the highways, stoning, beating, and breaking their heads. When I came to SWARTHMORE, I found the friends there dressing the heads and hands of Friends and friendly people, which had been broken or hurt that day by the professors and hearers of Lampitt, the priest. My body and arms were yellow, black, and blue, with the blows and bruises I received amongst them that day. Now began the priests to prophesy again, that within half a year we should be all put down. and gone.*

*The priests reckoned wrong in this, for, as Sewell justly observed, it fared with the early Friends as with trees, which grow best when most lopped. "Duris ut ilex tonsa bipennibus, per damna, per cædes, ab ipso, ducit opes animumque ferre."

"As by the lopping axe, the sturdy oak

Improves her shade, and thrives beneath the stroke;
Tho' present loss and wounds severe she feel,
She draws fresh vigour from the invading steel."

« PreviousContinue »